Exerciser with gliding pedals

ABSTRACT

An exerciser with gliding pedals includes two link assemblies pivotably connected to two pivots on the base and two rails are connected on the two link assemblies. Two pedals are movably engaged with the two rails and two cylinders are connected between the link assemblies and the base. The pedals are stepped up and down alternatively and the pedals can be slid relative to the rails during operation.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an exerciser and more particularly, toa stepping exerciser with gliding pedals.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A conventional stepping exerciser generally includes an I-shaped baseand two rods each have one end thereof pivotably connected to the baseand two pedals are connected to the other two respective ends of the tworods. Two hydraulic cylinders are connected between the pedals and thebase so that when the user alternatively steps downward the pedals, thecylinders provides resistance and the user has to overcome theresistance to move the pedals downward. Nevertheless, the steppingexerciser can only be operated in the unchanged and boring way, thedisplacement in horizontal direction is less than 5 cm and this is not acomfortable way to work out. Some exercisers combine an ellipticalexerciser and the stepping exerciser so that the trace for the user'sfeet has a wider range of movement. However, such combination makes theexerciser to be bulky and occupies too much space.

The present invention intends to provide a stepping exerciser whichincludes two pedals and the pedals can glide along tow respective railsso that the user's foot can move longer distance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an exerciser that comprises a basehaving a post extending from a first end thereof and a transverse bartransversely and pivotably extends through the post. A first pivot isfixedly connected to the post and a second pivot is connected to thebase. The second pivot is located at a distance from the post.

Two link assemblies are located on two sides of the base and each linkassembly has two first link and two second links. The two first linksare located in parallel with each other and have two respective firstends connected to the first pivot. The two second links are located inparallel with each other and have two respective first ends connected tothe second pivot. Two cylinders each have one end connected to the baseand the other end of each of the two cylinders is pivotably connected toa separation bar connected between the two second links. One of the twofirst links of each link assembly is in contact with the transverse bar.

Two gliding assemblies each have a support member and a rail. The tworails each have a groove defined therein and the support members aremovably received in the grooves of the two rails. The two rails areconnected to second ends of the first and second links of each linkassembly. Two pedals are fixedly connected on the support parts.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a steppingexerciser whose pedals can be movable along two respective rails so thatthe user's feet can move in horizontal direction.

The present invention will become more obvious from the followingdescription when taken in connection with the accompanying drawingswhich show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment inaccordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view to show the exerciser of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view to show the exerciser of the presentinvention;

FIG. 3 shows a side view of the exerciser of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view along line A-A in FIG. 3 to show therollers in the groove in the rail and the support member is movable bythe rollers;

FIG. 5 is a side view to show that the pedal is located at a highposition;

FIG. 6 is a side view to show that the pedal is located at a lowposition;

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view to show that the pedal is glided towardthe rail, and

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view to show that the pedal is glided awayfrom the rail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the exerciser 1 of the present inventioncomprises an I-shaped base 10 which has a front transverse leg 101 at afirst end of the base 10, a rear transverse leg 102 at a second end ofthe base 10 and a central column connected between the front and rearlegs 101, 102. A post 103 extends from the front transverse leg 101 anda display panel 1031 is connected to a top of the post 103. A transversebar 1032 transversely and pivotably extends through the post 103. Afirst pivot 104 is fixedly connected to the post 103. An inclined bar isconnected between the front transverse leg 101 and the central columnand a second pivot 105 is connected to the inclined bar of the base 10.The second pivot 105 is located at a distance from the post 103.

Two link assemblies 11 are located on two sides of the base 10 and eachlink assembly 11 has two first link 111 and two second links 112. Thetwo first links 111 are located in parallel with each other and have tworespective first ends connected to the first pivot 104 by a first shaft113 located between the two first ends of the first links 111. The twosecond links 112 are located in parallel with each other and have tworespective first ends connected to the second pivot 105 by a secondshaft 114 located between the two first ends of the second links 112.Two cylinders 12 each have one end connected to the rear transverse bar102 of the base 10 and the other end of each of the two cylinders 12 ispivotably connected to a separation bar 116 connected between the twosecond links 112. One of the two first links 111 of each link assembly11 has a recess 1111 and the transverse bar 1032 is engaged with therecess 111. Each first link 111 that has the recess 1111 has a stop bar1112 connected thereto, and the transverse bar 1032 is located betweenthe recess 111 and the stop bar 1112. When the first link 112 with therecess 1111 is pivoted toward the first end of the base 10, thetransverse bar 1032 is pivoted about a longitudinal axis of the post 103and the other link assembly 11 is pivoted toward the second end of thebase 10.

Two connection parts 13 each have a first end pivotably connected to thefirst ends of the two first links 111 of each link assembly 11 byextending a bolt through a hole 115 defined through the first end of thefirst link 111 and a separation bar between the two first links 111 andthe fixedly connected to the connection part 13. A pivotable part 131 ispivotably connected to a second end of each of the connection part 13.Two connection boards 117 each have a first end connected to the firstend of the connection part 13 and a second end of each of the twoconnection boards 117 is pivotably connected to the separation bar 116.

Two gliding assemblies 14 each have a support member 142 and a rail 141,each of the support members 142 has a first end pivotably connected tothe pivotable part 131. The two rails 141 each have a groove definedtherein and the support members 142 are movably received in the groovesof the two rails 141. As shown in FIG. 4, two rollers 143 are located inthe grooves in the two rails 141 and the support member 142 is smoothlymovable in the grooves by the rollers 143. The two rails 141 areconnected to second ends of the first and second links 111, 112 of eachlink assembly 11. Two pedals 15 are fixedly on the support parts 142.

Referring to FIGS. 5 to 8, the user steps the pedals 15 alternativelyand downward and the first links 111 of the two link assemblies 11 pivotthe transverse bar 1032 so that the user has to overcome the resistancefrom the two cylinders 12. In the meanwhile, the pedals 15 can be glidedrelative to the rails 141 and the feet move in horizontal direction at asufficient distance such as 30 cm.

While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with thepresent invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art thatfurther embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of thepresent invention.

1. An exerciser comprising: a base having a post extending from a firstend thereof and a transverse bar transversely and pivotably extendingthrough the post, a first pivot fixedly connected to the post and asecond pivot connected to the base, the second pivot located at adistance from the post; two link assemblies located on two sides of thebase and each link assembly having two first link and two second links,the two first links located in parallel with each other and having tworespective first ends connected to the first pivot by a first shaftlocated between the two first ends of the first links, the two secondlinks located in parallel with each other and having two respectivefirst ends connected to the second pivot by a second shaft locatedbetween the two first ends of the second links, two cylinders eachhaving one end connected to the base and the other end of each of thetwo cylinders pivotably connected to a separation bar connected betweenthe two second links, one of the two first links of each link assemblybeing in contact with the transverse bar; two gliding assemblies eachhaving a support member and a rail, the two rails each having a groovedefined therein and the support members movably received in the groovesof the two rails, the two rails connected to second ends of the firstand second links of each link assembly, and two pedals fixedly on thesupport parts.
 2. The exerciser as claimed in claim 1, wherein twoconnection parts each have a first end pivotably connected to the firstends of the two first links of each link assembly and a pivotable partis pivotably connected to a second end of each of the connection part,each of the support members has a first end pivotably connected to thepivotable part.
 3. The exerciser as claimed in claim 2, wherein twoconnection boards each have a first end connected to the first end ofthe connection part and a second end of each of the two connectionboards is pivotably connected to the separation bar.
 4. The exerciser asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the first link that is in contact with thetransverse bar has a recess and the transverse bar is engaged with therecess.
 5. The exerciser as claimed in claim 4, wherein each first linkthat has the recess has a stop bar connected thereto, the transverse baris located between the recess an the stop bar.
 6. The exerciser asclaimed in claim 1 further comprising a display panel connected to a topof the post.
 7. The exerciser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base isan I-shaped base and includes a front transverse leg, a rear transverseleg and a central column connected between the front and rear legs.